Vernisage: RETURN — about the experience of illness, empathy and support

How to support and be supported when illness becomes part of everyday life? How to create relationships and workplaces based on empathy How to respond to the needs of people facing health crises? On Friday, October 16 at 6.30 p.m. in Wozownia 1/5 Gallery, the opening of the exhibition “RETURN — about the experience of illness, empathy and support” will take place. The exhibition presents photographs, design objects (underwear and design) and literary stories of people from the community of the University of Lodz. These are incredibly moving stories about the change that a chronic illness has made in their lives.

The opening is also the opening of another scientific and artistic project prepared jointly with the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź and part of the programme of the Media Festival “Man in Danger”. During the vernissage you will be able to see a variety of works and talk to their creators:

Design close to the body/Dorota Salska, PhD, professor of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. Designs of underwear designed for women with ostomy and after mastectomy. The artist devoted her habilitation dissertation “Understanding the stoma” to this issue, among others, combining the design perspective with the real needs of women.

Two photography cycles: Tissue, Gesty/Bartosz Kałużny (UŁ) Photographic series covering two subjects. Gestures are metaphorical images inspired by the stories of people from the community of the University of Lodz who experienced a serious illness and decided to share their experience. Tissues represent a photographic interpretation of the change brought about by disease, shown through the dialogue of human experience with architecture.

Breast Friends: Prevention through design/Zuzanna Leśniak (student of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź) Projects of design objects supporting education and awareness in the field of breast cancer prevention. The works were created as a diploma project of Zuzanna Leśniak, a student of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, laureate of the distinction of the University of Lodz in Prime Time — a competition for the best master's and bachelor's degrees of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź.

Stories of change — literary stories of people from the UŁ community/exhibition narrative: Agata Dawidowicz (UŁ) An integral element of the exhibition are the literary stories of people from the community of the University of Lodz who agreed to share the experience of a serious illness. Together with Gestures, they co-create a multi-part story about change and the search for a new place in life after experiencing a health crisis.

The exhibition will be open until 17 November this year. You can see it:

on the day of accompanying events from 17.00-20.30

by appointment, by writing to the following address: wspolpraca@uni.lodz.pl

by prior appointment, by contacting directly the curators of the exhibition — project coordinators: Agata Dawidowicz and Bartosz Kałuzny.

Programme of accompanying events

PHRASE #1. At work: how to create a supportive place for sick people? 10 November (Tuesday), 6.30 p.m., Biedermann Palace, 1/5Franciszańska St. The speakers will be: Dr. Jakub Niedbalski, Prof. UŁ (Institute of Sociology University), Bartosz Stępièn (Support and Accessibility Center of the University of Technology), Adam Trojańczyk (Business Leader), Dr. Aleksandra Różalska (Council for Equal Treatment of UŁ).

PHRASE #2. In life: how to support and be supported in the experience of illness? 16 November (Monday), 6.30 p.m., Biedermann Palace, 1/5Franciszańska St. The following speakers will be: Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek, Prof. UŁ (Vice-Rector, Institute of Philosophy of the University of Łódź), Dorota Salska, Professor of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź (Institute of Clothing, Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź), Dr. Joanna Miniszt Prof. UŁ (UŁ Institute of Psychology), Marta Kucharska-Hauk, PhD (Institute of Psychology UŁ, Council for Equal Treatment UŁ).

More information on the project website: “RETURN — about the experience of illness, empathy and support”.

Material, editorial: Agata Dawidowicz, Center for Cooperation with the Environment and Social Responsibility of the UniversityPhoto: Bartosz Kałużny, Center for Cooperation with the Environment and Social Responsibility of the University